The event used the theme “From Demo to Deal,” meaning the focus was not just on whether a product works, but whether a startup can turn that product into investment, commercial partnerships, and overseas sales. That is often the part where Taiwan’s startups struggle the most.

Startup World Cup Kaohsiung segment finishes with panel of experts telling local firms hoping to enter international markets to question familiar assumptions and seek advice beyond their existing professional circles.

The two-day competition began Thursday and wraps up today at InterContinental Kaohsiung (高雄洲際酒店). It is part of a global series organized by Pegasus Tech Ventures, which brings together startups, venture capital firms, and technology executives. Organizers say the Startup World Cup includes more than 100 regional competitions across six continents. The winner in Kaohsiung will advance to the global competition, scheduled for Nov. 4–6 at Hilton Union Square in San Francisco.

Coworking space Second Space held a soft opening for its second branch on Qixian 1st Road (Cisian 1st Rd./高雄市新興區七賢一路294號) on Friday. The new location is significantly larger than the original Second Space and includes professional studio facilities, meeting rooms, workstations, lounge areas, and other amenities.

7-Eleven has 752 stores in Kaohsiung, making it the most widely distributed chain in the city. FamilyMart has 394 stores and operates in 35 of Kaohsiung’s 38 districts, giving it near-citywide coverage. Hi-Life has 171 stores across 30 districts, while OK Mart has a much smaller footprint, with 25 stores in 11 districts.

At the center of the relocation ideas is a broader planning question: Should Kaohsiung continue operating under its current dual-administrative-center structure following the 2010 county-city merger, or use future infrastructure projects to create a more unified administrative hub?

An Indonesia that maintains balanced relations across major powers reduces the likelihood of Southeast Asia becoming exclusively dominated by China’s strategic orbit, an outcome Taiwan views as essential to preserving regional equilibrium.

The Philippines’ IT and business process management (IT-BPM) sector remains a major pillar of the economy, generating US$38 billion in 2024 — about 8% of GDP — and employing 1.8 million people, or 3.8% of the workforce.

Chen has a backstory that would work well for a film. At 13, he left Taiwan for Vienna. His parents stayed behind as he entered a rigorous training system—the kind few young musicians today would be expected to endure. “My parents basically had no idea what I was doing,” Chen said. “In the first ten years, I only made two phone calls a year. Letters back and forth would take months,” he recalled.

如果中國打來，我們不會接
“If China ‘calls,’ we won’t answer.”